<p>The military prosecutor has indicted a youth anti-junta activist for joining a campaign to investigate Rajabhakti Park corruption allegations.</p> <p>On 27 September 2016, at the Military Court of Bangkok, staff of the Military Judge Advocate General’s Department indicted Chanoknan Ruamsap, a key leader of the New Democracy Movement (NDM), for breaking the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) Head’s Order No. 3/2015, Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) reported.</p> <p>Section 12 of the order is the junta’s ban on political gatherings of five or more persons.</p>

<p dir="ltr">The junta has refuted condemnations from many human rights groups for obstructing an Amnesty International (AI) progress briefing about torture, saying that it did not prevent the briefing. The junta added that information from Amnesty International (AI) is not credible.</p>

<div>Thailand’s junta head has accused human right defenders and pro-democracy activists of wanting to be prosecuted as a way to discredit the military regime internationally.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On 28 September 2016, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, the junta premier, stated that the junta’s various laws limiting freedom of expression do not affect the majority of Thai people. Rather, the few who violate these laws merely want to be prosecuted so they can discredit the junta on the world stage. </div>

<p dir="ltr">A military court has accused a lèse majesté suspect of disrespecting the court for arguing that the courts have a role in defending democracy and resisting Thailand’s coup-makers. &nbsp;</p>

<div> <div>Citing the 7 August referendum results, Thailand’s Constitutional Court has ruled that the junta-backed draft charter must give the junta-appointed senate the right to activate the special mechanism to allow an ‘outsider’ Prime Minister. </div></div>

<div> <div>A provincial court in northern Thailand has found three ethnic Lahu villagers guilty of encroaching on a national park and offences against authorities.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On 27 September 2016, Fang Provincial Court sentenced three ethnic Lahu: Withun Khiriratsami, Pra-ae Khiriratsami and Chakui Chabalo. The three were accused of encroaching on Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park and of assaulting park rangers.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Withun faces a one year and two month suspended jail term and 4,500 baht fine. </div></div>

<p dir="ltr">The police have accused an embattled human rights lawyer of sedition and violation of the junta’s political gathering ban, for observing a pro-democracy protest.</p> <p>Police from Samranrat Police Station issued a summon order for Sirikan Charoensiri, a lawyer from the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR), to report to the station on 27 September 2016,<a href="http://www.tlhr2014.com/th/?p=2252"> the TLHR reported</a>. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Police and public officials have prevented a press briefing by Amnesty International (AI) on a report about state-sponsored torture, saying that the AI speakers might be charged for not having work permits.</p> <p>On 28 September 2016, at Four Wings Hotel in Bangkok, Special Branch police officers and officials from the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare intervened in a press briefing on an AI report titled “Make Him Speak by Tomorrow: Torture and Other Ill-Treatment in Thailand”.</p>

<p>Civil society groups are urging the junta to halt construction of Special Economic Zone (SEZs) throughout the country, saying that the SEZ policy destroys local communities and the environment.</p>

<div> <div>More than 500 villagers in northeastern Thailand have gathered to oppose a potash mine, saying the mine operator bypassed the Environmental Impact Assessment process. &nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On 25 September 2016, over 500 villagers from Wanon Niwat District, Sakon Nakhon Province, gathered at the District Office to oppose a local potash mining project. </div></div>

<p dir="ltr">Nearly two months after the referendum on the junta-sponsored constitution, the police are summoning more people for violating the junta’s ban on political gatherings over a public seminar about the constitution.</p>

<div> <div>The outspoken niece of a draftee who was tortured to death has been indicted under the controversial Computer Crime Act for revealing information about torture in military camps.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On 22 September 2016, Prosecutor Rati Cholamyai indicted Naritsarawan Keawnopparat under the Computer Crime Act for disseminating information deemed defamatory to the Royal Thai Army, according to the Cross Cultural Foundation.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Naritsarawan is the niece of Wichian Puaksom, a military conscript who was tortured to death by other soldiers in 2011. </div></div>